Reading casino app bonus terms

Reading casino app bonus terms: why the small print sets the value

The headline of an offer tells you what you might get. The terms tell you what it costs, how long you have and what can make you lose it. Two offers with the same headline can be worth very different amounts once a short expiry or a payment exclusion is factored in.

On a phone, the key terms are often in a collapsed panel under the offer or a link beneath the opt-in button. UK rules require the full terms to be no more than one click away, so if you can't find them, don't opt in yet. This is one of our practical casino app guides; for the mechanics of claiming, see how to claim a bonus in a casino app.

Significant terms: what must be shown with the offer

The Commission's licence conditions and the advertising codes both say that significant conditions must be clear and prominent, not buried. The ASA's guidance on free bets and bonuses (opens in a new tab) gives examples: eligibility, deposit or wagering requirements, time limits, and restrictions on bets or odds.

The ASA has upheld complaints where these rules weren't met. In July 2024 it found that an excluded payment method placed in small print among the full terms of a William Hill Online ad wasn't prominent enough.

The seven-point bonus terms checklist

Run every offer through these questions. If a term doesn't answer one, ask support before depositing.

Our guide to how wagering works in casino apps goes deeper on the third check, and payment methods excluded from bonuses on the fifth.

Wagering requirements and the 10x cap

A wagering requirement is the total you must stake before bonus funds or their winnings become withdrawable. Since 19 January 2026, the Commission caps it at 10 times the bonus, and promotions mixing products, such as a casino bonus tied to a sports bet, are banned. The Commission's announcement of the cap (opens in a new tab) gives the background.

The Commission's own example shows the difference: a £10 bonus at 50x required £500 of play. Under the cap, the most a £10 bonus can require is £100.

The last column uses standard game maths: expected loss = amount staked × house edge. A slot paying back 96% has a 4% edge, so £1,000 of spins costs £40 on average. That 96% is only an illustration; check each game's help screen for its real figure, and see the house edge by game page. Results in any single session can be far better or far worse.

Time matters as much as size. Casumo gives 7 days to wager its bonus and 10bet gives 3 days, so the 10bet example means £250 of slot play inside 72 hours. If that pace doesn't suit you, the offer isn't for you. More on the rule in our 10x wagering cap explainer.

Spin offers: value per spin, eligible games and expiry

For spin offers, multiply the number of spins by the spin value to get the face value. Then check whether winnings carry wagering, which games the spins work on, and how long you have.

Face value isn't what you get back. On average, spins return their face value multiplied by the game's RTP. PlayOJO's spins are on Big Bass Bonanza, which has a published RTP of 96.71%, so £8 of spins returns about £7.74 on average, though any one batch could return nothing or much more. Check the game's help screen for the version in the app.

The Ladbrokes structure rewards reading closely: the up-to-£50 figure needs you to claim on all 10 days. Missing one day's 23:59 deadline drops 50 spins, or £5 of face value. Don't let a daily claim window turn into a reason to open the app more than you otherwise would. See our guide to free spins in casino apps for how spin offers are credited.

Payment exclusions: the term that catches people out

Several offers exclude e-wallets and prepaid methods from qualifying deposits. If you deposit with an excluded method, you may still be able to play, but the offer won't be credited.

Credit cards can't be used for gambling in Great Britain at all, including through e-wallets funded by a credit card. Our Coral welcome bonus and Ladbrokes welcome bonus pages show which methods do qualify.

Game restrictions and how other games count

Spin offers work only on the slots named in the terms, often described as "selected games". Match bonuses usually list eligible games too. Table games, live casino and game shows are often excluded from bonus play or count for less towards wagering, so check before you sit at a blackjack table with bonus funds.

10bet's offer, for example, is wagered on slots. If you want to play live tables, our answer on using a bonus on live casino explains the usual restrictions.

Maximum bet and maximum win caps

Caps protect the operator from large swings while you play with its money. Breaking a maximum bet rule is one of the commonest ways to lose bonus winnings, so write the figure down before you start.

• Casumo: maximum £5 per bet while the bonus is active.
• 10bet: maximum bonus winnings of £1,000.
• All UK online slots: a stake limit of £5 per spin if you're 25 or over and £2 if you're 18 to 24, whatever any bonus says.

The slot limits come from the Commission and apply to every UK app; see online slot stake limits. A bonus max-bet rule can be lower than these, never higher in practice.

Your own money vs bonus money

Commission guidance on withdrawing deposits during a bonus (opens in a new tab) is clear. You must be able to withdraw your deposit balance at any time, even while a bonus is active, and wagering requirements can't apply to your own money.

• Deposit and bonus balances must be shown separately, not as one pot.
• Wagering can apply to bonus winnings, not to withdrawing your deposit.
• The guidance doesn't fix the order in which deposit and bonus funds are used, so the terms should say.
• Withdrawing before wagering is complete normally forfeits the bonus; 10bet's help centre says this for its offer.

This is why it's worth checking the balance display in the app before you play: you should be able to see which money is yours.

Irregular play and one-offer-per-person clauses

Most bonus terms have a section on prohibited play. The Commission's promotional play restrictions guidance (opens in a new tab) says operators must spell out every prohibited type or pattern of play in advance, can't reserve sole discretion to decide what counts, and must fully explain any loss of winnings.

The common clauses are simple to respect. Coral's offer terms, for instance, allow only one welcome offer per customer and require a verified account. Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited, so one person may not be able to hold new accounts at both; our answer on why you can't open accounts at Coral and Ladbrokes explains. If you're unsure whether something is allowed, ask support in writing before you do it.

How to check bonus terms in the app before you opt in

1. Open the offer in the app and expand the key terms panel or tap the terms link.
2. Write down the qualifying deposit and stake, and the deposit method you plan to use.
3. Check that method isn't on the excluded list.
4. Work out the face value: spins × spin value, or deposit × match percentage up to the maximum.
5. Note the wagering multiple and multiply it by the bonus to get the total play needed.
6. Note every deadline: opt-in, claim, use and wagering windows.
7. Look for a maximum bet and maximum win, and the eligible games list.
8. Only then opt in, and screenshot the terms as they stand.

Partner welcome offers with their key terms

Here are the three closest partner offers with the details the checklist asks for. All are for new customers; 18+ and full terms apply. Bonus play still carries the house edge, so treat any offer as a little extra entertainment rather than an income.

Coral: deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slots to get 100 free spins on selected games at 10p each, a face value of £10. The offer runs 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027; accept the spins within 48 hours and use them within 7 days. No wagering on spin winnings. Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don't qualify.

Ladbrokes: deposit and spend £10+ on slots to get 50 free spins a day for 10 days, up to 500 at 10p each on selected games, a face value of up to £50. Claim before 23:59 each day; each batch is valid for 7 days, with no wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits don't qualify.

PlayOJO: first deposit of at least £10 gets 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each, a face value of £8, with no wagering and winnings paid in cash. New UK customers only, excluding Northern Ireland; can't be combined with other offers; only through the designated offer link.

Compare all partner offers in our no wagering casino apps list, or read the PlayOJO welcome bonus page in full.

18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.